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Large loss of CO2 in winter observed across the northern permafrost region

Natali, Susan M. ; Parmentier, Frans-Jan LU ; Pirk, Norbert LU and Zona, Donatella (2019) In Nature Climate Change 9(11). p.852-857
Abstract
Recent warming in the Arctic, which has been amplified during the winter1–3, greatly enhances microbial decomposition of soil organic matter and subsequent release of carbon dioxide (CO2)4. However, the amount of CO2 released in winter is not known and has not been well represented by ecosystem models or empirically based estimates5,6. Here we synthesize regional in situ observations of CO2 flux from Arctic and boreal soils to assess current and future winter carbon losses from the northern permafrost domain. We estimate a contemporary loss of 1,662 TgC per year from the permafrost region during the winter season (October–April). This loss is greater than the average growing season carbon uptake for this region estimated from process... (More)
Recent warming in the Arctic, which has been amplified during the winter1–3, greatly enhances microbial decomposition of soil organic matter and subsequent release of carbon dioxide (CO2)4. However, the amount of CO2 released in winter is not known and has not been well represented by ecosystem models or empirically based estimates5,6. Here we synthesize regional in situ observations of CO2 flux from Arctic and boreal soils to assess current and future winter carbon losses from the northern permafrost domain. We estimate a contemporary loss of 1,662 TgC per year from the permafrost region during the winter season (October–April). This loss is greater than the average growing season carbon uptake for this region estimated from process models (−1,032 TgC per year). Extending model predictions to warmer conditions up to 2100 indicates that winter CO2 emissions will increase 17% under a moderate mitigation scenario—Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5—and 41% under business-as-usual emissions scenario—Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5. Our results provide a baseline for winter CO2 emissions from northern terrestrial regions and indicate that enhanced soil CO2 loss due to winter warming may offset growing season carbon uptake under future climatic conditions. © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. (Less)
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Contribution to journal
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published
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in
Nature Climate Change
volume
9
issue
11
pages
6 pages
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85074223265
ISSN
1758-6798
DOI
10.1038/s41558-019-0592-8
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Cited By :1 Export Date: 15 November 2019
id
fe49519c-11af-4322-ba39-3b3e84e684d5
date added to LUP
2019-11-15 12:29:47
date last changed
2022-04-18 18:45:55
@article{fe49519c-11af-4322-ba39-3b3e84e684d5,
  abstract     = {{Recent warming in the Arctic, which has been amplified during the winter1–3, greatly enhances microbial decomposition of soil organic matter and subsequent release of carbon dioxide (CO2)4. However, the amount of CO2 released in winter is not known and has not been well represented by ecosystem models or empirically based estimates5,6. Here we synthesize regional in situ observations of CO2 flux from Arctic and boreal soils to assess current and future winter carbon losses from the northern permafrost domain. We estimate a contemporary loss of 1,662 TgC per year from the permafrost region during the winter season (October–April). This loss is greater than the average growing season carbon uptake for this region estimated from process models (−1,032 TgC per year). Extending model predictions to warmer conditions up to 2100 indicates that winter CO2 emissions will increase 17% under a moderate mitigation scenario—Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5—and 41% under business-as-usual emissions scenario—Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5. Our results provide a baseline for winter CO2 emissions from northern terrestrial regions and indicate that enhanced soil CO2 loss due to winter warming may offset growing season carbon uptake under future climatic conditions. © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.}},
  author       = {{Natali, Susan M. and Parmentier, Frans-Jan and Pirk, Norbert and Zona, Donatella}},
  issn         = {{1758-6798}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{852--857}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Nature Climate Change}},
  title        = {{Large loss of CO2 in winter observed across the northern permafrost region}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41558-019-0592-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41558-019-0592-8}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}